While yarn is definitely my first love, I also hold a torch for fabric. Not just any fabric, either. The other piece of my heart goes out to indie fabric that is gentle on the Earth.

If you have not heard of Mod Green Pod, consider this your wake up. Founded by sister-in-laws, Mod Green Pod offers modern day textiles perfect for home accessories, printed on organic fabric. All of their fabric is printed with non-toxic dye and is untreated, ensuring the absence of dangerous chemicals that are often found in flame retardants and Teflon finishings.

Noonday Textiles specializes in hemp and organic cotton blends in a variety of solids perfect for any project. Hemp is a wonderful fiber in that it is fast growing, naturally pest resistant and uses less water than other fibers. This all means good things for the environment. And the longer the fabric is used the softer it becomes.

Another wonderful little shop that sells hemp/organic cotton blend fabric is Home Sweet. Based in Delaware, Home Sweet block prints these organic fabrics with water based inks that are easier on the environment. Their style is clean, modern and just lovely. You can purchase their designs by the yard or already sewn up into smart pillows or table linens.

Pippi Joe is a fabric shop from down under, also selling beautiful fabrics silk screened onto hemp or hemp/organic cotton blends. These fabrics are soft to the touch and feels a bit like linen. Their style is fun, upbeat yet wonderfully modern.

About the contributor: Kelly Rand is staff writer for DCist.com, lead writer for Crafting a Green World, and is co-founder of Hello Craft, a non-profit trade association dedicated to the advancement of indie crafters and the handmade movement. Kelly is a compulsive knitter and avid maker who believes that handmade will save the world.